Sustainability

The race is on to reduce embodied carbon in buildings and construction. But as more organisations take up the challenge, coordination is key.

In a net zero world, it doesn’t matter whether we divide emissions by headcount or square meterage. By any measure, the balance of emissions must be the same. Zero.

In California’s capital city, a 1940s building has been re-lifed, aiming to create strong ties between nature and the local community.

City of Melbourne chief heat officer Krista Milne talks with Ecolibrium staff writer Nick Johns-Wickberg about managing extreme heat in urban settings.

It’s like a jungle sometimes, but is the grass always greener for buildings that boast green walls and roofs? Laura Timberlake explores.

Designed by Elenberg Fraser 6 Charles Street, or C6, has been and is being developed by Grange Development. It primarily consists of residential apartments, although the plans also include a 500m2 edible rooftop garden and dining and entertainment spaces. Residents will also have access to a car-share scheme that includes 80 Tesla electric vehicles.

As a result of the increased contribution of renewable energy for electricity generation and rising gas prices, there has been a shift from natural gas to electric-based heating in recent times. Commonly used electric heating technologies in the built environment include electric resistance, and air- or water-source heat pumps (hereafter known as “conventional heat pumps”). However, a key concern in the industry has been the use of refrigerants that have high Global Warming Potential (GWP) and other refrigerants that are flammable and/or toxic.  

The owners of a Passivhaus residential development in Melbourne’s inner suburbs have adopted a pragmatic approach to design, ensuring the best possible outcome on a site overshadowed by neighbouring buildings. Sean McGowan reports.

In November, the planet briefly exceeded a dreaded milestone: 2°C of warming above pre-industrial levels.

Although the use of CO2 in refrigeration has become common in supermarket and retail applications, the misconception that it is limited to refrigeration alone is being undone with the trial of a direct–expansion CO2 HVAC system at Woolworths Gordon, on Sydney’s north shore.

Perched on a rocky crest in Mansfield, Victoria, Robbie J Walker’s off-grid house defies harsh weather conditions to heat and cool itself writes Nick Johns-Wickberg.

An El Niño weather event has been declared, amid realisation that 2023 appears likely to be the hottest year on record.

What role does data play in the electrification of buildings? With a focus on machine learning, artificial intelligence and the interaction with the electricity grid, a panel at AIRAH’s recent Building Date Forum explored this fascinating topic.

What gets measured gets managed is a truism of our age. But in the case of refrigerant gases, could a heavy reliance on one specific measurement be concealing the full sustainability story? Mark Vender reports.

Given the considerable amount of transport infrastructure under construction, on drawing boards and taking shape in the daydreams of ambitious politicians, the concept of zero carbon transport buildings is featuring heavily in discussions amount those concerned about sustainability for our stations.

A six-storey Amsterdam building comprising laboratories and office space incorporates sustainable thinking from every possible angle, writes Laura Timberlake.

In July, industry stakeholders visited the Daikin factory in Sydney to better understand the challenges and opportunities around producing low‑embodied‑carbon products.

A 280m canopy floats across the entirety of the South Beach development in Singapore, filtering sunlight and solar glare, and channelling wind breezes into public spaces.

A much–anticipated community facility in Melbourne’s north–west has done away with gas-fired boilers. Rather, new technologies have been adopted, making the Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre Australia’s first all-electric aquatic centre powered by renewable energy. Ecolibrium explores this ground–breaking project. 

Retreating Arctic ice and a bushfire-ravaged North America are just two indicators of our changing climate.